Lexus Radio / Cassette /cd Player

[jom]

Hey all,

My oem cd player is kanckered and was looking at a possible repair. I stumbled across a company called Maple Audio Linky

They want to charge £220 big ones for the cd player / changer repair.

My question to you folks is if anyone has heard of them or used them? do you think it's worth spending £220 for a repair?

I don't reaaly want to upgrade as I like the Original manufacturer look.

Your views folks.

J

[DJ Wozza]

do you think it's worth spending £220 for a repair?

It all depends on wether they give you a full 1 year RTB warranty with it, as it could work for a week then go wrong again.

What do you then do ? Spend another £220 ?

[Y2Kanjar]

Hey all,

My oem cd player is kanckered and was looking at a possible repair. I stumbled across a company called Maple Audio Linky

They want to charge £220 big ones for the cd player / changer repair.

My question to you folks is if anyone has heard of them or used them? do you think it's worth spending £220 for a repair?

I don't reaaly want to upgrade as I like the Original manufacturer look.

Your views folks.

J

you could pick up a replacement off of eBay. would be cheaper... or just buy a new aftermarked head unit

[Sonnet]

Hey Jom,

another possibility is, that you leave your CD player jammed as it is right no an beam yourself to the modern world by using your iPOD (or alternative MP3 Play). If you invest $80 Dollar vor the GROM interface you receive the possibility to control you iPod over the buttons of you (brocken) stock stereo.

Advantage:

- low cost

- plug'n play

- next generation music

- stock lock

All about that solution you can find in the following post (ove 140 replies / over 12000 views since december 2007)

Ipod Control Solution For Oem Stereo Is200/300 Finally Found, Affordable self install plug ‘n play solution for iPOD/MP3 Player

Hando wrote a fantastic walkthough with pics. So everybody a fit the Grom in at least 30 minutes

How To Install The Gromaudio Ipod Adaptor In 1st Gen Is, (also headunit removal)

My CD Player jammed two years ago (was still in guaranty because the cd play bug is a known problem at lexus so they extend the guaranty time up to 5 years) and placed never again a CD inside. I think nearly everybody had this problem before. So the only known way if you want to keep the stock look is going for MP3,

Cheers

Sonnet

[DJ Wozza]

and honestly he is not on commission :winky:

[Sonnet]

and honestly he is not on commission :winky:

Thanks! This is it what I forgot to add :) I banned this early discussion out of my mind B)

[TigerFish]

Haven't there been as many unsatisfied as satisfied customers (on LOC) for the Gromaudio thingymajig? With less than professional customer after care? or did I imagine it? Just worth remembering that it didn't work for everybody.

[Hando]

Haven't there been as many unsatisfied as satisfied customers (on LOC) for the Gromaudio thingymajig? With less than professional customer after care? or did I imagine it? Just worth remembering that it didn't work for everybody.

The issue has been that if your stereo has the code 13902 on the front then it will not work. AFAIK Grom have been pretty good at sending out new upgraded units for people with that unit to try but as yet they haven't been able to fix it.

There have been a few other niggling issues that some users have had but there's are usually overcome with a some kind of work around.

Personally I've had mine since Nov last year and it's never missed a beat and has been used constantly.

If you don't need Wozza-levels of volume and want to retaint the stock look with ipod controls through the headunit (and your HU isn't 13902) then I'd say this is the way to go.

[jom]

My unit is a 13902, so that rules out the Ipod upgrade. As to a replacement unit off eBay, I've read else where that I cannot use any of the newer rad/cass/cd players in my car and that if I do replace it will have to be the same unit. Is this true and can anyone tell me why a newer unit would not work.

[DJ Wozza]

If you don't need Wozza-levels of volume ....

Ha ha ha ha ha what are you saying ?

Is this true and can anyone tell me why a newer unit would not work.

Yes the information is definately correct, I am unsure of the exact reason, but members on LOC have taken a

chance previously & bought units from E-Bay with mis-matched numbers and all bar one to my knowledge have

failed to work correctly (if at all) when fitted. The one that was supposed to work was dubious in my mind too.

It's your money but I would advise against it.

[Andy-R]

If you get an aftermarket stereo and facia kit you can make the facia look exactly like the rest of the console by rubbing it down and painting it so it all ties in.

Wozza done a brilliant walk through on how to do this which is on here somewhere, i'm pretty sure he'll point you in the right direction toward it. Not done mine yet but will be :) thanks to Wozza.

[DJ Wozza]

...a brilliant walk through on how to do this which is on here somewhere

click on my ICE question link in my signature, there is a link to the Facia Mod in the first post.

[jom]

thanks for the ideas guys, but I haven't got the time or patience to go for the aftermarket install route, I'll have to keep looking on eBay for a working unit I suppose.

[Ticketyboo2U]

On the Subject of the factory supplied stereo/ Cd how do you get access to the unit Mine is now constantly trying to load a CD every time the my car starts. Not that it gets used as I have the Err 3

code on the CD and use a Ipod transmitter but the constant whir is starting to drive me nuts

[jom]

My unit was doing the exact same thing, every time you start the car cd player goes mental.

My one had a cd still inside, so I removed the head unit, pulled the cd out, noticed the open / close mechanism was stiff so sprayed a little wd40 to loosed up, after that it didn't make the whiring sound.

(CD player is still broke)

[Andy-R]

On the Subject of the factory supplied stereo/ Cd how do you get access to the unit Mine is now constantly trying to load a CD every time the my car starts. Not that it gets used as I have the Err 3

code on the CD and use a Ipod transmitter but the constant whir is starting to drive me nuts

Do you have sat nav? if you do can't help but if not pull the dash tray/air vents off should just slide off with a little pull then you need a 10mil socket 2 bolts undo those then pull out the heated seat controls at the bottom again just slide out 2 more bolts undo those and the whole unit cd player a/c controls everything just comes out.

[Andy-R]

thanks for the ideas guys, but I haven't got the time or patience to go for the aftermarket install route, I'll have to keep looking on ebay for a working unit I suppose.

Quite easy to do and usually takes less than an hour to do with amp by-pass lead and facia kit.

The only thing with replacing with another OEM unit is it may break again and then your back to square 1 and out of pocket.

[TigerFish]

thanks for the ideas guys, but I haven't got the time or patience to go for the aftermarket install route, I'll have to keep looking on ebay for a working unit I suppose.

I have an IS200/300 fascia kit I don't need. If you want it just PM me your address and I'll send it out.

[JonnyB]

I wanted to keep the OEM look see: -

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/ind...st&p=406197

still going stong and I only ever use CDR's

[jom]

I wanted to keep the OEM look see: -

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/ind...st&p=406197

still going stong and I only ever use CDR's

JonnyB, I got kinda lost in that lengthy thread, can you add a external cd changer to the factory head unit utilising the normal cd functions? this would be cheaper than a HU upgrade or repair. anyone know if this is possible?

[DJ Wozza]

....can you add a external cd changer to the factory head unit utilising the normal cd functions? this would be cheaper than a HU upgrade or repair. anyone know if this is possible?

The short answer is no.

Also from the other thread

Let us know how you get on with that, because mine was changed and then went again just over a year later.

£300 is a lot for it to go wrong again a year later.

My thoughts exactly. Thats a lot of dosh to shed out again if it goes pop later (which they are prone to do).

[JonnyB]

....can you add a external cd changer to the factory head unit utilising the normal cd functions? this would be cheaper than a HU upgrade or repair. anyone know if this is possible?

The short answer is no.

Also from the other thread

Let us know how you get on with that, because mine was changed and then went again just over a year later.

£300 is a lot for it to go wrong again a year later.

My thoughts exactly. Thats a lot of dosh to shed out again if it goes pop later (which they are prone to do).

I was told at the time the replacement was a revised mechanisum, a year and a half on no problems (touch wood)

For me the OEM look was more important, and in my opinion replacement facias then available spoiled to look of the dash

[Andy-R]

....can you add a external cd changer to the factory head unit utilising the normal cd functions? this would be cheaper than a HU upgrade or repair. anyone know if this is possible?

The short answer is no.

Also from the other thread

Let us know how you get on with that, because mine was changed and then went again just over a year later.

£300 is a lot for it to go wrong again a year later.

My thoughts exactly. Thats a lot of dosh to shed out again if it goes pop later (which they are prone to do).

I was told at the time the replacement was a revised mechanisum, a year and a half on no problems (touch wood)

For me the OEM look was more important, and in my opinion replacement facias then available spoiled to look of the dash

Replacement facias do look cheap but if you follow Wozza'a rub down and paint guide (see Wozza's ice link thingy) as I mentioned in a earlier thread then they can look like factory installed and you get the option of changing head unit any time you fancy.

[Ticketyboo2U]

On the Subject of the factory supplied stereo/ Cd how do you get access to the unit Mine is now constantly trying to load a CD every time the my car starts. Not that it gets used as I have the Err 3

code on the CD and use a Ipod transmitter but the constant whir is starting to drive me nuts

Do you have sat nav? if you do can't help but if not pull the dash tray/air vents off should just slide off with a little pull then you need a 10mil socket 2 bolts undo those then pull out the heated seat controls at the bottom again just slide out 2 more bolts undo those and the whole unit cd player a/c controls everything just comes out.

Thanks i do not have the sat nav so ill folow ur instructions

[jom]

....can you add a external cd changer to the factory head unit utilising the normal cd functions? this would be cheaper than a HU upgrade or repair. anyone know if this is possible?

The short answer is no.

Also from the other thread

Let us know how you get on with that, because mine was changed and then went again just over a year later.

£300 is a lot for it to go wrong again a year later.

My thoughts exactly. Thats a lot of dosh to shed out again if it goes pop later (which they are prone to do).

I was told at the time the replacement was a revised mechanisum, a year and a half on no problems (touch wood)

For me the OEM look was more important, and in my opinion replacement facias then available spoiled to look of the dash

I think I'll give Autosound a ring on Monday and see what they say.